With each passing tournament, fans worry more and more about the heartbreaking news of Novak Djokovic’s retirement. For the past few years, the Serbian legend has limited his appearances on the ATP Tour, focusing mainly on the Grand Slam tournaments. One of his rivals, the Swiss legend Stan Wawrinka, shared his thoughts on the Serbian’s retirement in a recent interview.
Stan Wawrinka Calls Novak Djokovic’s Competitiveness a ‘Miracle’
Djokovic will turn 39 in just two months, but that does not affect him at all, neither physically nor mentally. He is still one of the strongest contenders on the ATP Tour, consistently staying in the world top four.
Since the retirements of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the Serbian legend has been carrying the legacy of the Big Three, but it is only a matter of time before he puts down his racket, ending a truly golden era of tennis.
Wawrinka, one of the toughest competitors of the Big Three, especially Djokovic, recently shared his thoughts on the retirement talks of the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Speaking with Spacio Tennis, he said:
“Only he knows when he will retire. It’s truly incredible that Novak keeps fighting for the most important titles and remains one of the best in the world. It seems like a miracle that he stays so competitive at his age.”
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Many tennis analysts have declined to answer questions about Djokovic’s retirement, saying it’s up to him to decide when he wants to put down his racket. American legend Andy Roddick has also discussed the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s timeline on his “Served” podcast.
Wawrinka and Djokovic have faced each other 27 times on the ATP Tour, with the Serbian legend dominating with a whopping 21-6 head-to-head record. However, of those six wins in the Swiss legend’s favor, two of them are from the championship matches of two different majors, the 2016 US Open and 2015 Roland Garros.
The Swiss legend is set to retire this year, as announced in December 2025 via an Instagram post. He won 16 ATP titles in his career, including three majors and a career-high ranking of World No. 3, but has dealt with injuries since 2016, making it difficult for him to compete.
Djokovic’s Ongoing Hunt for a 25th Major Title
Djokovic last won a Grand Slam in 2023, defeating former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to lift the US Open title, and he last played a major final at the 2026 Australian Open, losing to Carlos Alcaraz. He then reached the semifinals of all four majors last year, losing to Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, or Jannik Sinner in those matches.
It almost seemed impossible for him to reach another major final, as he would have to defeat at least one of the Italian-Spaniard duo, which seemed physically impossible for his age. However, he stunned the world by defeating the two-time defending champion Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals this year, reaching the championship match, only to lose to Alcaraz again.
The Serbian legend has achieved everything in his career, making him the most complete player in professional tennis; however, the ambition of one more major title, the record 25th trophy, would set him apart, truly cementing his status as the GOAT.
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He is the only player over 30 in the ATP Top 40, with Medvedev, Cameron Norrie, and Arthur Rinderknech the next oldest at 30. Djokovic spent most of 2025 at No. 4 in the rankings, with Sinner, Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev leading the rankings. However, he was back at the No. 3 spot for a few weeks, adding to his record time spent in the top three.
Djokovic last competed at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, where he lost to Jack Draper in the fourth round in arguably the best match of the year, and withdrew from the Miami Open. With the hard-court swing now over, the ATP Tour is moving to the clay courts of Europe, but the Serbian legend is set to miss the Monte-Carlo Masters as well, as he has withdrawn from the event.
